Forum: St. James School of Medicine Forum Location:Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles Basic Science Tuition: $4,200/semester Clinical Science Tuition: $7,167/semester Year Founded: 2000 USA Clinical Rotations: Yes Time required for MD: 10 semesters Album: St. James School of Medicine Album Bookstore: St. James School of Medicine Books Email: Email St James Medical School Survey: St. James School of Medicine review

A Brief History of Netherland Antilles by The World Factbook 2005

Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion is called Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe (France). Read More

Our History

Saint James School of Medicine (SJSM) was approved by the Federal Government of the Netherlands-Antilles in 1999, and became functional in 2001 as a combined project between the island government of Bonaire and a consortium of highly experienced medical educators and physicians from universities and colleges in the United States and Europe. The basic science and clinical rotation programs are fully compatible with U.S. medical school programs with special reference to the requirements of USMLE.

Since the inception of SJSM in 2001, the medical school has tremendously grown from a modest beginning of only 18 students to over 400, with 203 students currently in Clinical Clerkships. The number of resident faculty has increased proportionately and so have the classroom and library facilities. Because of SJSM’s increasing student population, the campus grew from a single classroom to three buildings. The most remarkable growth has been in the area of clinical clerkships. In 2002, SJSM placed two students in a Georgia hospital clinical clerkship program. Today clinical rotation slots have expanded to over 13 hospitals with 150 preceptors spreading across the United States.

In the future, we hope to create a loan fund for international students; form a consortium of international medical schools to put forward a collective effort in areas of curriculum; and expand accreditation acceptance by pertinent national and international agencies.

Our Mission

Saint James School of Medicine’s mission is to provide a quality education using innovative teaching methods to help motivated students, regardless of ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds realize their dream of a medical career at an affordable cost. Saint James aims to use all available resources to develop a comprehensive curriculum, adopting the best international standards and practices to promote excellence in healthcare.

Our Programs

Saint James School of Medicine offers a complete post-secondary and graduate medical education with courses in premedical study, a basic science MD program and a clinical science program. Our students can begin study in any of these program tracks, depending on their previous medical education and their personal and career goals.

Saint James' experienced instructors lead students through all of these programs and offer unparalleled expertise, guidance and hands-on experience for tomorrow's doctors of medicine.

Click through this section to learn more about our programs and courses of study. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Premedical Study

Premedical
The premedical (premed) program is an intensive four semester (64 week) program that forms a strong foundation and thoroughly prepares you for entry into the medical degree program. This program was designed to address the needs of a recent high school graduate or a student who does not fit the conventional eligibility criteria for entry into a medical degree program.

The premed curriculum covers undergraduate level Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Applied Mathematics. Premed students, who successfully complete all courses within the curriculum and maintain an attendance of 80%, will be allowed to proceed to the medical degree program. Please note that there is one entering class in September each year.

Premed Curriculum
Our premed curriculum is designed to provide students with the solid base needed to handle the rigorous course study they will experience in the School of Medicine. SJSM’s elective premedical curriculum not only parallels those of the ACGME of the United States but is also designed to fit the format of USMLE step one. The curriculum is taught in English and offered by highly competent and experienced medical educators from the United States and abroad.

Our elective medicine program features the following unique characteristics:

• Personalized instruction which enables one-on-one training.
• The guidance and expertise to improve test taking skills.
• Advanced exposure to hands-on experience in a hospital setting which supplements the basic science curriculum.

Semester 1: Physics I (5 credits), Chemistry I (5 credits), Biology I (5 credits), Biology II (5 credits), Ethics (4 credits)

Semester 2: Physics II (5 credits), Org. Chemistry I (5 credits), Biology III (5 credits), Biology IV (5 credits), Psychology I (4 credits)

Semester 3: Physics III (5 credits), Chemistry II (5 credits), Biology V (5 credits) Biology VI (5 credits), Psychology II (4 credits)

Semester 4: Org. Chemistry II (5 credits), Chemistry III (5 Credits), Biology VII (5 credits), Biology VIII (5 credits), Biology IX (5 credits)

Basic Science MD Program

Our basic science and clinical programs were developed and adopted after many years of thorough and exhaustive analysis of other medical school curriculum from across the United States and Europe.

The basic science program is divided into two components: the basic science and the clinical clerkship programs which provide students with the knowledge base sufficient to function competently in clinical medicine. The basic science program is conducted over four semesters on the Bonaire campus (16 months). The curriculum covers such subjects like Gross Anatomy and Embryology, Physiology and Pharmacology and is supplemented with hands on clinical training at the local hospital in Bonaire. Students are exposed to patient care and medical procedures in a clinical setting very early on in their training. Extended programs are also available for those students who choose to take a lesser class load per semester. The basic sciences program is followed by six semesters of clinical clerkships/rotations at affiliated hospitals in the United States and abroad. Excellent student-professor ratio provides ample opportunity for students to interact with the SJSM staff and faculty. Over the years we have seen that students perform better when they interact with their professors on a personal level in addition to the classroom setting. We have also seen that improving ones test-taking skills makes a significant difference in academic performance. Therefore, we offer personalized instruction if necessary as well as a specially designed module to improve test taking skills.

Basic Science Curriculum

Semester 1: Histology (10 credits) Gross Anatomy & Embryology (12 credits) Medical & Legal Ethics (4 credits)

Semester 2: Physiology (12 credits) & Biochemistry (10 credits) Neurosciences (8 credits) Genetics (4 credits)

Semester 3: Pathology I (10 credits) Microbiology (10 credits) Pharmacology (10 credits) Medical Psychology (4 credits)

Semester 4: Pathology II (10 credits), Epidemiology (4 Credits), Physical Diagnosis & Clinical Medicine (9 credits)

Clinical Science Program

The educational objectives for the clinical training program are outlined as follows:

1. The clinical science program will provide students with a broad overview of medical practice and clinical training in order to understand the interrelationship among different levels of practice, various areas of specialization, and give them the opportunity to assess areas of medical practice in which they might wish to declare as their focus in graduate school.

2. The clinical science program will prepare students to function effectively in and gain the most from graduate medical education. The clinical training rotation/clerkship program consists of 96 weeks of clinical rotation at affiliated hospitals across the U.S. or abroad. The clinical clerkship program encompasses five semesters at which students participate in patient care while rotating through various medical specialties in the hospitals. This system of rotational training is known as "clinical clerkship" which is used synonymously with clinical training. Training includes physical examination, laboratory analysis, case presentations, clinical workshops and conferences. The student receives personalized guidance by the clinical faculty in order to ensure a meaningful educational experience. Students develop the skills and knowledge that are essential during the graduate medical education or residency years. Also, students have an opportunity to assess the degree of their interest in each of the major medical training fields. The 96 weeks of clinical training is divided into 48 weeks of core clerkships in the teaching hospitals and 48 weeks of elective rotations. The length of the entire doctor of medicine program approximately totals 40-52 months, depending on the time that the student elects to take to prepare for the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 examinations.

Tuition and Fees

All students are required to pay an enrollment fee of $2,000 dollars as the initial medical school tuition. The basic science program for applicants from the United States and Canada is $4,200 dollars per semester and the premedical program enrollment fee is $3,500 dollars. All charges are due 30 days before the beginning of each semester. Students who default payment may not register for classes and are liable for a $200 dollar penalty. In addition, official transcripts will not be issued until all dues have been paid in full. A student approved for loans but waiting for disbursement may provisionally register for classes. The following shows the itemized cost for the medical school program at SJSM (please note that the numbers below are on average):

Premedical Program
First Semester	$3,500
Second Semester	$3,500
Third Semester	$3,500
Fourth Semester	$3,500
Total Tuition	$14,000
Books and Stationary
4 semesters x $500 per semester**	$2,000
Personal Expenses
House/Apartment Rent
16 months x $500 per month***	$8,000
Airfare
1 round trip***	$1,200
Basic Science Program
First Semester	$4,200
Second Semester	$4,200
Third Semester	$4,200
Fourth Semester	$4,200
Total Tuition	$16,800
Books and Stationary
4 semesters x $500 per semester**	$2,000
Personal Expenses
House/Apartment Rent
16 months x $500 per month***	$8,000
Airfare
1 round trip***	$1,200
Clinical Science Program
Fifth Semester	$4,200
Hospital Surcharge*	$2,700
Sixth Semester	$4,200
Hospital Surcharge*	$2,700
Annual Liability Insurance	$800
Seventh Semester	$4,200
Hospital Surcharge*	$2,700
Eighth Semester	$4,200
Hospital Surcharge*	$2,700
Ninth Semester	$4,200
Hospital Surcharge*	$2,700
Annual Liability Insurance	$800
Tenth Semester	$4,200
Hospital Surcharge*	$2,700
Total Tuition	$43,000
Books and Stationary
6 semesters x $900 per semester**	$5,400

* Subject to change according to the demand of the hospital.
** Books and stationary costs may vary each year.
*** The above rates are estimates.
All students enrolled in the basic sciences program are responsible for their books, transportation, house rent and living expenses.

Transfer Students

Students transferring from another accredited institution maybe eligible to receive credit for the classes they have already completed.  In some cases, the student may finish the program ahead of the scheduled semester.  If this occurs, the student is expected to pay the full tuition fee for the semester, if attendance was two weeks or more.

Tuition Refund Policy

The application fee and administrative surcharge are non refundable. Refunds of tuition will be determined by the accounting department as follows.
First week of class - 80% refund
Second week of class - 60% refund
Third week of class - 40% refund
Beyond the 3rd week - No refund

The above tuition refund policy applies only to students who have completed less than one semester at SJSM or to a newly admitted student. Students who have completed at least one semester at SJSM and wish to transfer to another medical school must reimburse Saint James School of Medicine all administrative, immigration and enrollment costs incurred. The amount is due and payable in full immediately after the student is granted transfer approval. If a student wishes to re-enroll with SJSM at a later date, all costs reimbursed to the school shall be credited to the student’s tuition.  The tuition refund policy is executed by the retention committee and their decision is final. The refund policy is subject to change without prior notice.

Financial Assistance

SJSM currently offers a number of loan programs for qualified United States and Canadian students. All of our financial aid programs have varying features and application procedures. To find out more about the loans we provide you can contact our financial aid office.

United States Students
Saint James School of Medicine is currently involved in the evaluation process with the U.S. Department of Education to approve more federal loan programs for students. Recommendations from the evaluating group and the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM) are expected early next year.

Canadian Students
Full-time students who are residents of British Columbia (Canada) can apply for the BC Student Assistance Program online at www.bcsap.bc.ca. This is a government loan which takes four to six weeks to process. The application package can be found on BCSAP’s Web site. It contains a guide that provides very thorough and complete information about the program and its application procedures. The Canadian School Code assigned to SJSM is QUWH.

Full-time students who are residents of Saskatchewan (Canada) can apply for the Canada-Saskatchewan Integrated Student Loans Program. Information is available online at www.aee.gov.sk.ca/student-loans. This is a government loan which takes 4 to 6 weeks to process. The application package contains complete information about the program, its application procedures and contact information. The Canadian School Code assigned to SJSM is QUWH.

Private loans for all qualified Canadian students are also available through a number of Canadian banks. Our financial aid office can provide you with exact contact information and details of the application procedures specific to where you reside.

For details about any of the above programs, please contact our financial aid office.

Transfering To SJSM

Transfer and/or advanced standing applications are evaluated on a case by case basis by the SJSM admissions committee and are contingent upon the following conditions:

1. Applicant must be transferring from a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools published by the World Health Organization.
2. Transfer credits are granted for successfully passed coursework only.
3. Applicant must be in good academic standing.
4. Transfer is subject to availability of space.
5. Transfer students must meet all documentation requirements of a new student.
6. Official and current transcripts from the medical school attended must be provided.
7. Students wishing to transfer directly to the clinical rotation program will stand a better chance of acceptance if they have passed the USMLE Step I.

Those applicants who have undertaken prior studies in health sciences (osteopaths, podiatrists, dentists, physician assistants, nursing, etc.) are not eligible for advanced standing. Health professionals who wish to advance their skills and earn a medical degree should enroll in the basic science program.